Imprisoned Human Rights Lawyer's Daughter: Help My Father Before It's Too Late

Abdolfattah Soltani, an imprisoned human rights lawyer, requires immediate hospitalization following his most recent transfer to Evin Prison’s infirmary for heart problems, his daughter, Maedeh Soltani, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

“In recent months this is the fourth time my father has been taken to the prison infirmary for chest pains and severe heart palpitations. But unfortunately my mother’s requests for my father’s medical furlough for hospitalization have not been accepted so far,” said Maedeh Soltani.

“On Tuesday [May 3, 2016] my father suffered chest pains and his cellmates took him to the infirmary and then he was brought back to the ward. My father has become very thin. His body has melted away. His frequent visits to the prison clinic are not a good sign,” said Maedeh Soltani. “These incidents show he’s very sick and he needs immediate treatment. I hope he will be transferred to the hospital before it’s too late.”

“My mother puts in a request for my father’s medical furlough almost every week. But Mr. Hajiloo, the prison’s judicial official, doesn’t pay any attention,” added Maedeh Soltani. “He only takes the requests and says they will be reviewed. Shouldn’t they care about a prisoner’s health? There’s a person’s life at stake.”

Abdolfattah Soltani, a prominent attorney and human rights defender, was previously hospitalized for 41 days in 2013 for heart and digestive problems and returned to Evin before he had fully recovered. He was granted medical furlough on January 17, 2016 for 21 days, and again returned to prison prior to full recovery.

Political prisoners in Iran are subjected to harsh conditions over and above their prison sentences, which typically include the denial of medical furlough and critically needed medical care.

Abdolfattah Soltani, who represented a number prominent dissidents and political prisoners prior to his arrest on September 10, 2011, is serving a 13-year prison sentence for “being awarded the [2009] Nuremberg International Human Rights Award,” “interviewing with the media about his clients’ cases,” and “co-founding the Defenders of Human Rights Center” with Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi.

In April 2015 his daughter told the Campaign that Abdolfattah Soltani was being refused medical leave because “he hasn’t agreed to repent.”